Love in a Foreign Climate
by FutureVet97
Summary: Jack and Nikki admit their feelings. Set during the events of A Greater Love. My first fanfiction attempt so please be kind x
1. Chapter 1

(Ok this is set during events in The Greater Love and Nikki and Jack are dating)

Nikki wriggled uncomfortably on the unforgiving camp bed. The abrasive woollen blanket scraped her cheek. The hoodie she had stolen off jack was too big so it kept getting tangled around her. It was too bloody _cold!_ When packing for a trip to the desert she had forgotten about the freezing night time temperatures. However it wasn't just the cold that was keeping her awake. The inky darkness felt suffocating. After a lifetime of city-dwelling she missed the orange glow of city lights. The pitch darkness was disorientating, that and the fear of Taliban insurgents. Every creak or animal sound made her muscles knot up with fear. The beating of her heart was impossible to ignore.

Unable to stand it any longer, Nikki slipped out of bed. She flinched at the coldness of the bare concrete floor as she shuffled to the alcove where Jack's bed was. She held up the baggy sweatpants so that she wouldn't trip over the frayed hems (another item stolen off Jack). She hovered hesitantly over Jack, wondering how to climb in without waking him. He looked so adorable when he was asleep. He had somehow managed to fold his huge frame onto the tiny mattress without dangling his feet off the end. He was wearing just a t-shirt and boxers with the blanket only half draped over him so I could see the vivid shapes of the tribal tattoo on his upper arm (lucky sod never got cold).

Nikki squeezed onto the mattress behind him, snuggling her face into the spot between his shoulder blades, twining her fingers in his t-shirt. Jack rolled over sleepily, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her close, burying his face in her hair.

"You're feet are freezing," he whined sleepily, his voice rough. Nikki pressed her face into his chest, muffling her giggles.  
"I couldn't sleep. I needed a cuddle."  
"Glad I'm your first choice."  
"I thought Leo deserved his sleep more than you." Nikki felt him smile against the top of her head. She adored his cuddles. He was so much bigger than her that he made her feel safe, protected. His arms felt heavy and warm around her. He smelt like minty shower gel and coffee. It had fast become the most comforting smell in the world to her.  
"Did you pack any of your own clothes?" Jack asked, sliding a hand down her back and finding the waistband of his sweatpants.  
"Yours are comfy, now shh! Go to sleep!" Jack laughed quietly, tucking the blanket more securely around her.


	2. Chapter 2

A loud bang woke her sharply. She flinched against Jack with a terrified squeak.  
"Shhh it's ok, just one of the patrol vehicles backfiring. I'm here it's ok." He murmured reassuring nonsense into her ear, stroking her back in comforting circles. He could feel her heart thumping and little tremors were making her hand quiver against his arm. He hated seeing her scared or upset.  
"I love you." She whispered, so quietly that he nearly missed it. His heart stuttered. She had never said it before. He _knew _that he loved her, but he wasn't sure whether Nikki was looking for a fling or a relationship. He hadn't wanted to push his luck.  
"I love you." He whispered back. He was surprised at how easy the words were to say; he'd never said it to a girlfriend before. He rolled onto his back, pulling Nikki with him so that she was sprawled on top of him. The overlarge hood of his top flopped forward, covering her gorgeous brown eyes. He laughed softly, his heart full of love for his clumsy, gorgeous mess of a girlfriend.

She pushed the hood of her face, her nose wrinkled into a disgruntled expression that reminded him of a cat having its fur stroked the wrong way. He kissed the spot behind her ear. She squirmed closer, burying her face in his shoulder.  
"Your stubble tickles!" She hissed playfully.  
"You love me anyway though." He whispered back, tucking a strand of dishevelled blonde hair behind her ear.  
"Shut up." She mumbled, making him smile.  
"Does this mean we can tell Leo now?" He asked hopefully. The last few months had been killing him. It was so hard not to casually mention dates he and Nikki had been on, to not kiss her or touch her at work.  
"Yeah, although we should wait until we get home. He's got enough to worry about." Nikki murmured against his neck. Jack glanced over to the shadowy corner where Leo's bed was situated. He could just make out the silvery grey of Leo's hair on the pillow.  
"Yeah, I guess. Night babe." He kissed her hair lightly, tucking her more securely into the narrow space between him and the wall.  
"Sleep tight." She mumbled, already half asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Leo tugged on a sweatshirt, trying to walk past Jack's bed without waking him. He glanced down as he inched past. He paused, noticing his unusual sleeping position. He had shared rooms with Jack before at various conferences. He tended to sleep sprawled in a star shape, not hanging on the edge of the bed. As he watched, jack shifted sleepily. Nikki appeared, her face pressed against his chest with her blonde hair spilling out of a hoodie that looked suspiciously like the one Jack wore when he was hung-over. As if she sensed his gaze, Nikki blinked sleepily. She lifted her head, freezing suddenly as she caught sight of him. She let out a muted yelp of shock. Jack glanced up, his face displaying a mixture of confusion and sleep.  
"Something to tell me guys?" Leo asked, the edge clearly audible in his voice. Nikki's face was white with fear. Jack gave her a reassuring squeeze.  
"Yeah I think it's pretty obvious now but me and Nikki are dating." Jack answered without shame.  
"How long?"  
"Three months."  
"Good." Leo said shortly. "As long as you two keep it professional and there's no conflict of interest, I'm fine." His voice softened. "Congratulations." He left the room quickly, his cheeks colouring slightly with embarrassment.

Jack flopped back on the bed letting out a huge sigh of relief.  
"Thank god for that." He puffed.  
"I know. I was getting sick of keeping it a secret."  
"What? Struggling to keep your hands off me in public?" He asked, raising an eyebrow sardonically.  
"Of course, that was it."  
"I'm all yours now."  
"I'll try to restrain myself." Nikki slapped his arm playfully, scrambling over him to her feet. She shuffled into her own room. She grabbed some items and had a quick wash in the less than luxurious outside shower. She braided back her damp blonde her and shoved on a loose linen shirt over a vest top and jeans, along with a pair of sturdy desert boots. She tied Jack's hoodie around her waist in preparation for the chilly morning. Nikki left a chiffon scarf looped around her neck, ready to pull over her hair if a local passed by. Nikki bounced cheerfully out of the cinderblock accommodation and into the canteen. Jack slid some toast in front of her, one slice smeared with butter, the other with marmalade. Her favourite.


	4. Chapter 4

"How did you sleep, kids?" Leo asked with a grin, sliding into a seat opposite Nikki.  
"Fine thanks," Jack replied. "Until a certain somebody turned up and started nicking the covers."  
"I do not nick the covers!" Nikki replied indignantly.  
"Course not."  
"What are you up to today?" Leo asked, interrupting their spat with a knowing smile.  
"Hmmm I need to put the skeleton together, check what's missing, give Jack a list so he knows what he's looking for, and then do an adequate post mortem."  
"Great, I'll join you. What are you up to Jack?" Leo asked.  
"Erm, I thought I'd go for a poke around the burial site and take it from there." Jack replied casually, munching on a toasted egg sandwich.  
"Ok, any other plans?"  
"I like to keep it spontaneous."  
"It's difficult to be spontaneous when a security detail needs to shadow your every move." Leo reminded him firmly.  
"I'll be fine." He said with a cheeky grin. He hopped up and dropped a kiss on Nikki's cheek.  
"Bye gorgeous." He whispered, too quietly for anyone else to hear.  
"Bye." She replied with that smile that always made his heart skip. "I'll have a list of missing bones for you in about twenty minutes."  
"Great, it'll take me that long to sort out the samples from yesterday. See you in a few."

Jack slouched into the cutting room twenty minutes later to find Nikki studying the incomplete skeleton with a pad of paper. A thin stream of light slid between the blinds, glinting off the links of the silver bracelet around her wrist. It was a delicate chain with a single, snowflake shaped charm dangling off. He'd bought it for her birthday several weeks ago; the snowflake was to commemorate their first date. He'd taken her ice skating after work. She'd said that she normally went with some old uni mates at Christmas, but they were all busy this week and she didn't have another chance to go before New Year. He'd made it sound like it was just a chance to get to know each other better, a bonding thing between new colleagues. He was dying for it to be a date but he didn't want her to think he was a man whore who hit on every woman he met. Somewhere between clinging to each other on the ice, cosy drinks in the pub and a kiss goodbye on the doorstep, it had turned into a date.

She hadn't taken that bracelet off since he had fastened it on her wrist two weeks ago. The sight made him smile.  
"You know you're not contractually obliged to wear that all the time." He laughed wrapping his arms round her and resting his chin on her shoulder.  
"I'm wearing it until it falls off." Nikki answered happily. He kissed her shoulder with a smile.  
"Have you got my shopping list?"  
"Here you go." Nikki turned within the circle of his arms and pressed the sheet of paper against his chest along with a light kiss on the lips.  
"Be careful babe." She murmured softly. He could see each individual fleck of gold in her irises.  
"Always."


	5. Chapter 5

Nikki dug through her toiletry bag, searching for a spare hair band. She came across a pack of tampons. She scanned carefully through a mental calendar, trying to remember why she had packed them. With a start she realized that her period was nearly five weeks late.  
"Shit." She whispered hoarsely. How was she supposed to tell Jack? They weren't living together. They had only just admitted that they were in love. Plus she was thirty one years old and a doctor. How did someone like her get pregnant by accident? She had an implant in her arm. She probed her bicep carefully, feeling for the slight ridge. It appeared to have slipped several inches, a sure sign that it was no longer functioning. She had thought that she had a few months time left to replace it. Apparently not.

She wandered dazedly into the cutting room. Leo glanced up, a bemused expression on his face.  
"Find it?"  
"Oh yeah." Nikki hastily bundled her hair back into a knot rather than one of her chic updos. Leo had seen her produce a sleek chignon with just a piece of surgical thread so something was clearly wrong.  
"Are you ok?" Quiet concern coloured his tone.  
"Yeah, fine." Nikki flashed him a brief, tired smile. They worked in silence, occasionally commenting on the condition of the body. Jack wandered in at about midday, brandishing a bag of rust coloured dirt.  
"Any bones?" Nikki asked hopefully.  
"Not a sausage. I did find enough blood to test for DNA though."  
"Progress. "Leo called. "Cup of coffee, Nikki?"  
"No thank you." Suddenly the thought of coffee made her stomach turn. When Leo returned, the rich scent of his cup sent her reeling.

"I'm just going to fetch some notes," Nikki told the pair, hurrying out the door. Thirty minutes later, Nikki had still not returned.  
"Do you think she's ok?" Jack asked with slight concern, eyeing his watch.  
"She's been a bit off this morning, I thought she was tired."  
"I'll go and look for her." Jack muttered, hurrying out the door. He wandered down the dusty pathway, his boots crunching on the gravel. At the foot of the hill, he saw a body sprawled across the pathway. Blood stained blonde hair trailed across the dirt.  
"Nikki!" He yelled, sprinting towards her. "Nikki, babe, wake up!" He gasped falling to his knees at his side. He quickly fumbled for a pulse, tilting his head to listen for her breathing. He nearly passed out with relief when he felt the weak beat against his fingers. He tugged off his sweatshirt and pressed it firmly against the wound on her head. There was a large rock resting near her head with blood on it. He picked her up gently, careful to keep pressure on the head injury that was still bleeding heavily.


	6. Chapter 6

Jack watched as Nikki lay unconscious in the hospital bed. Her slim frame seemed swamped by all the wires. The doctor had stitched her head wound an hour or so ago. It was an impact wound as he had suspected. Nikki had fainted and hit her head as she fell. They were waiting for blood test results to confirm why she had fainted. Worst case scenarios ran through his mind. Brain tumour, leukaemia or MS. Nikki seemed so pale, the grey sheets leaching the colour from her tanned skin. He ran his hands over his face, exhausted and scared. He raised his head to watch the doctor enter the room.  
"Mr Alexander?"  
"Yes?" Jack had pretended to be Nikki's husband so that the hospital staff would give him information. It was easier to be Mr. Alexander because Nikki's surname was on all the paper work.  
"We appear to have solved the mystery. There is absolutely nothing wrong with your wife, Mr. Alexander, besides some cuts and a mild concussion. A clean bill of health." Jack sighed in relief, tension draining out of his knotted muscles.  
"Apart from one thing." Jack looked up sharply.  
"Your wife is pregnant. About eight weeks or so I'd say. That's why she fainted." The doctor gave him a reassuring pat on the back. "You can take her home when she comes round. Shouldn't be too much longer, it was only a mild sedative."  
"Thank you." Jack replied, his mind spinning with shock. How had Nikki got pregnant? She was on birth control, she was the doctor. He'd thought she would have that area covered. Was he ready to be a father? At thirty two his mother kept nagging him to settle down. He'd bet this wasn't quite what she would have envisaged. Despite his shock and worry, he couldn't dislodge the glow in the pit of his stomach. Images of blonde haired toddlers with his blue eyes whirled around his brain.

Nikki blinked against the pounding headache battering her skull. She rolled onto her side, raising a hand weakly to her head.  
"Hey." Nikki opened her eyes, squinting against the harsh lighting. Jack was sat in a chair beside her, resting his forearms on the bed. He looked tired. His t shirt was wrinkled and his jaw was rough with two day stubble.  
"Hey," She replied hoarsely.  
"Feeling better?"  
"No." She whispered truthfully.  
"When were you going to tell me?"  
"What?" Nikki asked, confusion clouding her gorgeous brown eyes.  
"About you being pregnant." Jack replied softly. His face was expressionless but his voice was gentle. Nikki closed her eyes.  
"I only found out this morning." She whispered quietly. "I'm sorry."  
"Why?" Nikki looked at him blankly.  
"Why are you sorry? We would have got round to it eventually, this just speeds things up."  
"You're ok with it?" Nikki asked with some surprise.  
"More than ok." Jack murmured warmly, his eyes lighting up. He began to play with her fingers, glancing down shyly. When he let go, there was a diamond solitaire resting against the fourth knuckle of her left hand. She looked at him in shock.  
"I've been carrying that around for a month, I just couldn't work out how to ask you."  
"You're not asking me now."  
"Yes I am."  
"No you're not. That's not a question!"  
"I'm telling you."  
"Ok."  
"Is that a yes?"  
"Yes!"  
Jack pulled her into a hug, pressing his lips against her temple.  
"I love you."


	7. Chapter 7

Two years later...

Jack reclined in his chair with his boots on the desk, scrolling through his phone. There were dozens of pictures of Nikki and their family. Amber's gap-toothed smile glowed upon the screen of his iphone. She had Nikki's blonde hair which was constantly in a French braid. She also had Jack's blue eyes and freckles. It was a lethally cute combination. His favourite picture was one which had been taken at a barbeque a few weeks ago. Nikki was sat in the garden of their house with Amber in her lap. Their hair shone golden in the sun and both looked happy and tanned.

Leo wandered into the office he shared with Nikki.  
"You have visitors." He said scooping a stack of finished paperwork off the desk. Jack jumped up and headed towards the entrance.  
"Daddy!" He glanced in the direction of the childish squeal. He crouched down and held out his arms for his eighteen month old toddler to run into. He stood up, burying his face in her strawberry scented braid.  
"Hey Sweetie." He cried. Nikki followed at a more sedate pace, her arms full with their three month old son. He leant down and kissed Joseph's head, wrapping an arm around his wife's waist.  
"All sorted for tomorrow?" Jack asked. Nikki was returning to work tomorrow, after four months of maternity leave. Jack's mum and a child minder were helping with childcare.  
"Yeah," Nikki replied with a smile. "Is the new guy on tomorrow as well?" Leo had recently had to hire a new pathologist due to an increase in police contracts. The guys name was Dr. Cunningham. Leo had looked expectantly at him, as if he was supposed to know who the guy was.  
"Yeah." He smiled. "Ready to go?" Nikki nodded and together they toted their family out of the Lyell Centre. Jack took Joseph off Nikki and wrapped his waterproof jacket around his two kids, shielding them from the heavy rain. Nikki jogged ahead and beeped the locks of a black, Audi 4x4. He passed her the children one at a time and she buckled them into the car seats (she was much quicker at it). As the car reached the security gates a sleek silver jaguar sped past, too close and vastly over the speed limit.  
"Shit," Jack gasped, slamming on the brakes. He glanced urgently in the mirror; Amber and Joseph were happily watching a DVD on the screens fitted into the headrests.  
"What a knob," Nikki muttered, adjusting her seatbelt.


End file.
